The Republican. [volume] (Oakland, Md.) 1877-current, 1887-12-31
CAPTAIN JACKS PLEDGE.

CAPTAIN JACKS PLEDGE.
How tho Poet Scout Kept Promise
Never to Drink-A Pathetic Mountain
scene-BilI Reeds Novel Signature.
Sin the campaign against Sitting Bull
in 1876, l was appointed Chief of
Scouts, to succeed Mr.. Cody. Buffalo
Bill, he having resigned. Returning
one evening after II two days scout my
horse became lame. / determined to
turn him loose and push ahead on foot
l had halted TO remove the saddle and
bride, when the sound of song and
laughter reached me from further down
the caIon.
"''1is the command, unused. and
it is not far distant. Brace up Chief
noble old fellow, and we will soon be
where you can secure food and rest
Il soon came in sight of large camp
fire, in the ruddy light of which were
grouped number of scouts and pack
crs-rough. grizzly old frontiersmen
whose lives had been spent on the
borders of civilization. AS | drew near
the spot they were singing a border
song, the notes of which echoed and
re-echoed through the great rock
ribbed gulch in weird and almost I'M
earthly reverbations.
THE boys welcomed me warmly,
and | soon learned that the command
was Il couple of miles below at the
mouth of the canyon; that these boys
had secured a jug of whisky in some
way and had made their present camp
away from the troops to have good
time unmolested, The jug was fire.
quently passed around, and fun and
laughter reigned supreme.
"'Now, Captain Jack, said they, as
approached, you must fill up with
us on this tarantular juice. We cum
up var fur jamboree, an we're
havin' it in Wild West style. Flood yer
innards, Cap'n, an take hand in the
festivities
mo, thank you, boys l said, 4
never drink This respone was greet
ed with loud laughter, as if it were the
best joke of the season. The man
who held the jug approached and said:
THAT'S all right, Cap'n, but on
special 'casions such as this every body
must drink. Let us have good time
while we kin, for on SIGH an expedi-
ton as this we don't know when We'll
run into Injuns an leave our unoccu-
pied bodies a-layin' sort O. uncon-
cerned like among the sage brush n a
state O. bald-headed inactivity; so let's
make all we kin O life while it stays
with us. Fasten yer claws on the Jug,
OF boy, an down with the reiuvenatin'
fluid
Il took the proffered jug and set it
down on a pine stump near my side,
and then said;
boys, l always like to do my
share toward helping out in camp
festivities, but l prefer to do it in my
own way. Before drink with you, l
want to tell you little story.
"I we'll remember when / was u
little barefooted, misehievous young
ster at my home in Mincrsville, in the
coal region of Pennsylvania. My home
was happy one. My father was kind
and indulgent and esteemed by all who
knew him, and was never so happy as
when sitting at home in the evening
with his little ones grouped about him
listening to his entertaining stories.
We loved him dearly and thought
+bor e,,ol, hn, f,t1
all the great wide world. My mother
was sweet, gentle creature, for
whom our alteration almost verged
into worship. She was bound up in
her children and they in her--bound
with the purest aud brightest links
ever forged for the golden chain of
love. The dove of peace rested upon
our happy home and cooed its sweetest
melodies.
When grew to be quite Chunk
of boy had noticed gradual but
marked change in my fathers appear
ance and actions. His clothes grew
seedy, his face became flushed and he
would act strangely when he came into
the house. Mother would kindly but
sorrowfully get him to bed, and l often
noticed tears in her eyes when she
came from the bedroom. In response
to my boyish inquiries as to what
grieved her, she would only say that
father was not we'll and the subject
would drop. He seemed to neglect his
home and nevermore took pleasure in
entertaining us as he once did. In
stead of taking delight in being with
us in the evening, he would remain
away until late hour, and if hap
pened to be awake when he returned |
noticed that he staggered so that
mother was always obliged to help h m
TO bed. did not know it then, but
when grew elder l realized that the
demon rum had fastened its relentless
claws on that once noble man and was
dragging him down, down, down,
day by day, into the depth of hell upon